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1. Dictionary

   I·dle

   /ˈīd(ə)l/

   

   adjective

   • 1. (of a person) avoiding work; lazy: "idle students" Similar lazyindolentslothfulwork-shyshiftlessloafinginactiveinertsluggishlethargiclanguorouslistlesstorpidremissnegligentslacklaxlackadaisicalimpassivegood-for-nothingdo-nothingleisurelyinformal:bone idlearchaic:fainéantrare:otioseOpposite industrious
   • ▪ (of a person) not working; unemployed: "10.3 percent of the workforce is now idle" Similar unemployedjoblessout of workout of a jobbetween jobsworklessunwagedunoccupiedredundantinformal:on the dolesigning oneuphemistic:restinginformal:on the wallaby trackOpposite employed
   • ▪ (especially of a machine or factory) not active or in use: "assembly lines standing idle for lack of spare parts" Similar not in useout of usenot operatingnot workinginactiveout of actioninoperativenonfunctioningout of serviceunusedunoccupiedunemployeddisusedno longer in usefallen into disusemothballedOpposite working
   • ▪ (of time) characterized by inaction or absence of significant activity: "at no time in the day must there be an idle moment" Similar unoccupiedspareemptyvacantunfilledavailableOpposite busyfull
   • ▪ (of money) held in cash or in accounts paying no interest.
   • 2. without purpose or effect; pointless: "he did not want to waste valuable time in idle chatter" Similar frivoloustrivialtriflingminorpettyfoolishlightweightshallowsuperficialinsignificantunimportantworthlessvaluelesspointlesspaltrynigglingperipheralwithout depthinanefatuoussenselessmeaninglesspurposelessunnecessarytime-wastingOpposite seriousmeaningful
   • ▪ (especially of a threat or boast) without foundation: "I knew Ellen did not make idle threats" Similar emptymeaninglessaimlesspointlessworthlessuselessvainin vaininsubstantialfutileineffectiveineffectualgroundlesswithout groundsbaselesswithout/lacking foundationOpposite serious

   verb

   • 1. spend time doing nothing: "four men were idling outside the shop" Similar do nothingbe inactivevegetatesit backtake it easyrest on one's oarsmark timekick one's heelstwiddle one's thumbskill timelanguishlaze (around)lounge (around)loll (around)loaf (around)slouch (around)go to seeddegeneratemolderstagnateinformal:hang aroundveg outmooch aboutmooch aroundslummockbum aroundbat aroundlollygaglay on one's oarsfritterwhilelazeloiterpassspenduseemployuse upoccupytake upfill upfill infillbeguileexpenddevotewastedissipatekill
   • ▪ move aimlessly or lazily: "Cal idled past MetroHealth at a stately pace" Similar saunterstrolldawdledriftputteramblego/walk slowlyloitermaunderwanderstraggleinformal:moseytootlepootlemoochswan
   • ▪ take out of use or employment: North American "he will close the newspaper, idling 2,200 workers" Similar saunterstrolldawdledriftputteramblego/walk slowlyloitermaunderwanderstraggleinformal:moseytootlepootlemoochswan
   • 2. (of an engine) run slowly while disconnected from a load or out of gear: "the car is noisily idling in the street" Similar tick overrun slowly in neutral
   • ▪ cause (an engine) to idle. Similar tick overrun slowly in neutral

   Word Origin Old Englishīdel ‘empty, useless’, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch ijdel ‘vain, frivolous, useless’ and German eitel ‘bare, worthless’.

   Scrabble Points: 5

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2. www.vocabulary.com › dictionary › idleIdle - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms | Vocabulary.com

   www.vocabulary.com › dictionary › idle

   Something idle is not active. If your car is idling, it's running but not moving. If someone calls you idle, it either means they think you don't have enough to do or that you're just plain lazy.

3. dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › learner-englishIDLE | meaning - Cambridge Learner's Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › learner-english

   • Cached

   IDLE definition: 1. not working or being used: 2. not serious or having no real purpose: 3. lazy and not willing…. Learn more.

4. www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › definition › englishidle adjective - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage...

   www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › definition › english

   • Cached

   Definition of idle adjective in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

5. www.dictionary.com › browse › idle;)IDLE Definition & Usage Examples | Dictionary.com

   www.dictionary.com › browse › idle;)

   • Cached

   Idle definition: not working or active; unemployed; doing nothing. See examples of IDLE used in a sentence.

6. www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › definition › englishidle verb - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes...

   www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › definition › english

   • Cached

   Definition of idle verb in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

7. www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › englishIDLE definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary

   www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › english

   • Cached

   3 days ago · To be idle is to be inactive or not working at a job. The word is sometimes derogatory, but not always, since one may be relaxing temporarily or may be idle through necessity: pleasantly idle on a vacation; to be idle because one is unemployed or because supplies are lacking.

8. www.ldoceonline.com › dictionary › idleidle | meaning of idle in Longman Dictionary of Contemporary...

   www.ldoceonline.com › dictionary › idle

   • Cached

   idle meaning, definition, what is idle: not working or producing anything: Learn more.